A slide presentation is typically best when the slideshow displayed to the audience contains only a couple of items, such as a simple piece of text and an image. In other words, the less content the better. However, this causes a problem: the presenter will need to know or remember a great deal, in order to explain, discuss, and elaborate upon the slides while they are being shown to the audience. This spoken element is essential to make a successful presentation.
Normally, the presenter cannot see his notes on his laptop screen while presenting a slideshow or sets of slides to the audience. Instead, the presenter needs to keep a separate set of paper notes during the presentation, for instance. In a normal presentation, the whole screen will be displayed to the audience, including all the contents of the device display. Note that, in a personal computer (PC) or IBM laptop, one can switch display modes by pressing a blue Fn key and an F7 function key, but as of now those display modes do not include a mode allowing the user to see the user's private notes alongside a public slide show.
When a speaker would like to see the notes he has prepared, he usually has to take the notes with him as paper copies. However, it would be more practical to be able to see the notes from the display without having to reveal them to the audience or read from papers.
MICROSOFT OFFICE ONLINE allows a user to hide the outline and notes on a Web presentation. See http;//office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HP052368601033.aspx (downloaded Apr. 15, 2005). Likewise, in Power Point, there is a “Hide Slide” function under “Slide Show,” so that some slides can be hidden during the presentation. One can also “Define Custom Show,” in order to select only a part of a whole slide show to be presented. A normal presentation is where the whole screen will be displayed to the audience.
Consider the NOKIA Wireless Presenter which allows a user to wirelessly access a Windows desktop and applications via Bluetooth with a series 60 mobile phone. The series 60 phone can then control PowerPoint presentations, and view titles and speaker notes on the mobile phone. This prior art needs two devices in order to function, or three if the overhead projector is included as well.